Blowers are generally used for cleaning and/or removing light objects from surfaces, such as blowing away fallen leaves, and/or light debris, for example. Conventional backpack or back mounted blowers generally include a back plate, which supports the blower's components on the user's back. Current gas-powered backpack blowers include an internal combustion engine and a blower section driven by the engine. One major disadvantage of gas-powered blowers is that during operation, gas-powered blowers have a propensity to release undesirable emissions into the environment. Additionally, because the gas-powered blowers require gas, they generally require the user maintain or store an extra supply of fuel for the engine and repeatedly refill the blower gas tank. This can not only be costly, but may also have a negative impact on the environment.
Most gas-powered blowers are configured with a volute and fan member positioned directly against the back of the user. In this configuration, the fan intake is often provided against the back of the user with the air entering from the sides. One disadvantage of positioning the fan air intake on the side of the blower is that the size of the air intake vent is relatively limited. The limited vent size limits the overall flow rate of air through the blower, and thus limits the blower's performance and efficiency.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a backpack blower having an obstruction-free air intake to allow the free flow of air through the blower to increase its efficiency. This is even more important when considering backpack blower powered by a battery, which have a limited supply of energy. These batteries can be one of the heavier components in the blower, and so it is important to position the battery at an optimal position which reduces physical strain on the user during operation. To optimize the user's experience and reduce user fatigue during usage, it is important to balance the mass of the battery, and other heavier blower components, thus reducing the torque forces required by the user during operation.